Improvement in portable fences



A. J. TRUXELL. Portable-Fence.

Patented Oct. 14,1879.

JB Hm N PETERS. PHQWUTHOGRAPHER WASHINGTON. D C

UNITED; STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

ANDREW J. TRUXELL, OF BIG LICK, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN PORTABLE FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 220,683, dated October 14, 1879; application filed May 16, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. TRUXELL, of Big Lick, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved fence; Fig. 2, a top view thereof. Fig. 3 represents an elevation of my invention arranged as a zigzag or worm fence. Fig. 4 represents a detached view of one of the fencerails, and Fig. 5 a detached view of two of the fence-rails and a series of vertical slats.

My invention relates to a portable fence consisting of rails, posts, and braces, the posts having lnortises, and the rails having locking devices formed in one therewith; and the novelty consists in the construction and arrange ment of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

The object of the invention is to provide a portable fence which, in agricultural pursuits, would be of service for sheep, swine, poultry, and the like, and to construct the,parts of the same in such a manner that, being readily and efficiently positioned in alocked condition, the fence may be taken apart piece by piece, and conveniently packed for transportation or stor- To this end I provide posts, which, having rectangular apertures, serve vertically as ordinary fence posts. Operating in connection with these posts are rails adapted to operate horizontally, which havemale and female looking devices formed in each rail; or, in other words, the device upon one end of a rail is adapted to lock the opposite end of its comrade rail securely within the mortise of the vertical posts.

According to my invention it is necessary that each joint should stand on a plane at more or less angle with its comrade or connectingrail, and this being carried out as shown in Fig. 3 would make a worm -fence, while as shown in Fig. 2 a stock-yard would be formed, the outward pressure of stock in which simply serves to make the look more secure.

It will also be observed that each rail has upon opposite sides a recess, the outer wall of which is abrupt and locks firmly in the mortise in the post.

One end of each rail forms a rectangular extension, the opposite end on the opposite side of the same rail being beveled, so that by raising or lowering the free end of the rail the locking may be accomplished.

The rails are so constructed that, starting from a given point, the looks at each joint will be efficient, and the joints may be extended without limit.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the vertical posts, adapted to rest upon orbe driven into the ground, as desired and each post A is provided with two or more mortises or apertures to receive the rails B, which I will now describe. This rail is adapted to serve horizontall y, and is formed with a rectangular end, 0, atone side of the median line, said rectangular end having a recess, 0, which receives the lower edge of the mortise c, as shown, on e side of said recess 0 being abrupt, as seen at c, and this portion embraces or bears forcibly against the outer side of the mortise a.

On the opposite end of the rail B, and also on the opposite side of the median line, is an extension, D, cut away or beveled at d, and provided with a recess, (1, having an outer abrupt surface, d as shown.

The end 0 of the rail 13 being inserted in the mortise a of the post A, the recess 0 receiving the lower edge of said mortise, and the abrupt portion 0' abutting squarely against the outer side, the said end 0 of the fellow rail is elevated until the bevel 01 allows the recess d of the end D to grasp the upper edge of said mortise a, when, by depressing the end 0 of the comrade rail, the abrupt portion d abuts squarely against the opposite side of the post, and the rails are locked securely in with recess (1 d constructed and adapted to serve in relation to a post, A a, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereby affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

A. J. TRUXELL. Witnesses:

W. E1). PRICE, J. E. DAY. 

